Watch-Making in England, 1760-1820

Although watches had been in existence since the late fifteenth century, it was only during the period 1760-1820 that watches became accurate enough to warrant fitting seconds hands; the period covered is therefore central to the development of precision time-keeping and the success of this technology can be measured by the fact that until the recent development of electronic watches, modern timepieces show few basic changes from their eighteenth and early nineteenth century predecessors, and their mechanisms would have been immediately recognisable to the craftsman of that period.

This book about watchmaking in England during the Industrial Revolution brings together widely scattered information not only from the diverse craft of watchmaking, but also some of the general engineering, historical and socio­ economic background to the craft. Throughout the book, the original literature is cited, to retain the atmosphere of the period.

Jacket illustration: Ruby cylinder movement by Josiah Emery dating from about 1775. From the Nelthropp Collection by courtesy of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers.

About the Author

Leonard Weiss was educated at the University of Cambridge and Westminster Medical School. He is an experienced horologist and writer and is a member of the Antiquarian Horological Society and the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (USA) . He lives near Buffalo, New York.